Decades old Monmouth University yearbooks reveal photos with blackface

WEST LONG BRANCH – The president of Monmouth University released a statement earlier this week that offensive photos have surfaced in the school’s year book from decades ago.

Grey J. D Dimenna released the statement on Wednesday, February 27th stating that like other universities throughout the country, Monmouth University undertook an inventory of their yearbooks to seek out racist content.

“While the majority of the images across the yearbooks published from 1949 to 2017 we’re appropriate, we have identified 13 photographs in yearbooks from the 1960s through the 1980s containing racist and hurtful depictions,” The statement says.

Ten of the photos depict individuals in blackface, and three are offensive to other religious and cultural groups.

“None of the images identify the individuals by name, and in some cases even the context is missing because the pictures are not associated with a specific campus event or activity.”

Dimenna says that the pictures are offensive and do not reflect the values of Monmouth University today.

“While finding similar pictures in Monmouth’s past is uncomfortable and embarrassing, it also provides an opportunity for constructive action. This type of imagery requires us to engage in more discussion, acknowledgement, and education.”